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NEEDLE PAINTING 



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LANDSC/PE EMBROIDERY, 



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I»PIICE, 30 




Entered according to Act of Congress, by Mrs. L."bi'*9ttffAUS, in 
the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C, in the 
year i88^" 



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J7 



The Origin of Embroidery. 



The great number of books already issued on the 
subject of Embroidery, have doubtless rendered the 
general public familiar with its history. 

Students of the Bible will readily recall the de- 
scription of the curtains of the Ark which Moses 
was commanded to build. 

These hangings, for the gate of the court, says 
sacred history, were "of blue and purple and scar- 
let and fine twined linen, wrought with needle 
work. The garments also of the High Priest were, 
*'a broidered coat, a mitre and a girdle, with the 
ephod of gold, of blue, of purple, ot scarlet and fine 
twined linen, with cunning work." 

Again, in the building of the Temple of Solomon, 
the veil for the Temple was, " of blue, and purple, 
and crimson, and fine linen, and wrought cherubim 
thereon." In fact, from Bible times to the present, 
altar cloths and priestly robes, exquisite in design, 
have been cunningly wrought with the needle. 



Mary of Scotland, and Elizabeth, rival queens of 
British history, were wont to deck their royal per- 
sons hi magnificently embroidered robes, which 
were, even in those days, marvels of skill and 
beauty. 

From the earliest authentic records we learn that 
embroidery was the favorite employment of Queens 
and Court ladies. History informs us that Mary 
Stuart was a skilled needlewoman, and there is no 
doubt that she whiled away many hours of her long 
imprisonment in embroidering magnificent robes, 
with which she hoped again to grace the throne of 
Scotland. 

Another beautiful and equally unfortunate Queen 
— Marie Antoinette, the wife of Louis Sixteenth of 
France, — spent her last hours in prison, working a 
variety of the most difficult patterns in needlework 
on a piece of common towelling. 

In England, in 1785, and a score of years later, 
the taste for embroidery raged to an unlimited ex- 
tent. 

A woman of that day — one Miss Linwood — sur- 
passed all other competitors in achievements with 
the needle. Her style of work was called " Pictorial 
Embroidery," and though many sought to follow her 



in this new branch of embroidery, it was soon ascer- 
tained that it could be done by no one else. 
Her most remarkable work was the " Salvator 
Mundi," after "Carlo Dolci." This wonderful 
piece of needlework she refused to part with, though 
offered $15,000 for it. 

With us, at the present time, the popularity of 
embroidery for decorations of all kinds, is on the 
increase, in many instances quite usurping the place 
of painting. 

When used for house decorations, such as friezes, 
portierres, panels, screens and wall pictures, it is 
far more expensive than painting ; yet this fact does 
not deter those of our countrymen who are rearing 
palatial mansions from decorating the interior of 
their dwellings with hand embroideries of the most 
delicate and beautiful designs, wrought on the cost- 
liest fabrics. 

Recent instances can be sighted where $7,000 was 
paid for one embroidered portiere, and $15,000 for 
a curtain. 

One panel screen in hand embroidery, the size of 
the modern door, was valued by a well-known con- 
noisseur at $5,000. In August, 1882, two pictures 
of the present collection were inspected by Mr. 



6 



George Flagg, a well-known artist of New York 
city. He expressed himself particularly pleased 
with "Henneberg Castle" and " Chillon ". He 
examined them carefully and critically, then asked 
what they were called. When told there was no name 
but embroidery for them, he replied, ' ' This work is 
something beyond embroidery. I could scarcely do 
better with the brush. We will call it Needle 
Painting. " 

As the collection increased it was visited from 
time to time by artists and connoisseurs from vari- 
ous countries, and they have invariably expressed 
the most favorable opinions regarding the originality 
and merit of the work. 

The desire to know how the embroidery is done 
has been so often expressed that the originator has 
determined to give the method as clearly as words 
can express it to the public. Teaching has been 
attempted in several instances, but without successful 
results. 

MATERIAL. 

The materials used for back grounds in this col- 
lection of needle paintings are heavy furniture satin, 
Surah silk, twilled silk, shaded Surah satin, plain 



satin, broad cloth and ladies cloth. 

If shaded satin can be procured it saves many 
stitches : but care must be taken that the coloring 
is true to nature. 

If shaded satin cannot be obtained, then the 
shading must be done with the needle, which is 
quite as effective, if properly worked. 

The embroidery silks used are the Filoselle, the 
Dacca, common, or old style embroidery silk, fine 
sewing silk, and chenille. In the groundwork of a 
picture and where dense foliage is to be represented, 
Kensington worsteds are found very useful. Also 
the cross cotton, for snow scene. The common 
pointed darning needles, Nos. 6 and 7, are the only 
needles required. 

To prepare the material for embroidery. If a 
bright day after a snow storm is to be represented, 
the background should be a light, greenish blue. 
This color is commonly known as robin's egg blue. 
The texture may be Surah satin or silk. In regard 
to stitches, the long Kensington, or half chain stitch, 
is used to represent clouds, distant mountains, wa- 
ter, and the groundwork of pictures generally. The 
foliage of the chestnut and all trees w^th pointed 
leaves may be made in feather stitch. The curved 



or short Kensington will, if properly put in, repre- 
sent the Maple. The double feather stitch the ce- 
dar, and the long, irregular button hole stitch the 
foliage of the Pine. 

l^Q inverted button hole stitch, if irregular, and 
taken at intervals, or a little distance apart, will apt- 
ly represent the foliage of the Oak. 

For the Sumac, and leaves of similar form, the 
single feather stitch will do, graduating it in length 
as the leaves graduate on the stalk, or limb they 
grow on. 

The back stitch and the cross stitch may also be 
used to advantage in certain portions of a landscape. 
In fact, there is not a stitch made with needle and 
silk that is not useful in perfecting a picture in land- 
scape embroidery. 

After considering the size of the picture to be 
worked, the material should be sewed to a narrow 
strip of cotton drilling and this tacked on a frame 
or " strainer," as they are called by picture dealers. 
The material should be drawn very firmly over the 
strainer so that no wrinkle is observable. Tacks 
should never be driven in either satin or silk, as they 
invariably draw or mar the material, and spoil the 
effect of an otherwise smooth surface. 



9 

If, during the process of embroidery, the satin 
stretches or becomes loose, draw the tacks carefully 
out and stretch the material more firmly over the 
strainer, and in this way the surface will be even and 
smooth when the work is done. 

One of the most effective pictures and perhaps 
the least difficult for a tyro m needle painting, is the 
winter scene on blue ground now in the collection. 

The clouds which are first put in are worked in 
three shades of Dacca silk, viz., a light, soft flesh 
tint, a gray — the lightest possible shade — and white. 

The Dacca silk should be split, using only one 
thread. 

The flesh tint is put in first, in the long, Kensing- 
ton stitch, working always from left to right, com- 
mencing at the lower part of the cloud, and working 
upward. Next, the distant mountains should be 
outlined and worked with the split Dacca, using the 
same shades as in the clouds, except at the base of 
the mountains and where irregularities in form are 
to be preserved, a still darker shade of gray may be 
used. 

The stretch of wooded knoll on either side — both 
at the left and right- -may be made with the same 
shades and one still deeper. The latter shade is 



10 

required to bring them nearer in perspective. The 
Kensington stitch is the only stitch used in these 
places to form the ground and the distant trees. 
The latter, bordering the forest, are finished with a 
few stitches of chenille in the short Kensington 
Stitch to represent snow on the tops of the trees and 
bushes. The chenille should be a very light gray, 
just turned from white. 

The foreground of the picture is made in cross 
cotton, or a working cotton not so closely twisted. 
This is worked in long Kensington stitch. Oc- 
casionally, where a patch of ice is to be represented, 
white Filoselle may be used, taking two threads at a 
time. The trunks of the trees and the larger 
branches are worked with four threads of Filoselle at 
a time in short Kensington stitch. The colors — 
three shades of brown, graduating from the deepest 
to light. 

The stitches must be put in irregularly to repre- 
sent the rough bark of a tree. 

The smaller branches of the trees near the top 
may be made by using only two threads of Filoselle, 
of the darkest shade ; and in some instances — 
where the branches are very small — only one thread 
is necessary. 



11 



The rocks and stones are made with black and 
dark gray Filoselle, using two threads, and shading 
so as to bring out in perspective their rough exte- 
rior. 

The shrubbery around the rocks and peeping out 
of the snow, is made in sage green, and brown Filo- 
selle, putting in the brown first, the dark green 
next, and lastly, one thread of light sage green and 
one thread of white Filoselle silk worked together. 

The stitch used for shrubbery is the long Kensing- 
ton, irregular as to length, and put in in a helter 
skelter manner. 

Stitches both in white cross cotton and white silk 
are lastly introduced to represent the snow lying on 
the rocks and bushes ; also on the branches of the 
trees. The few leaves on the trees are made in 
double and single feather stitch, the color being 
light brown. A few stitches of white may be added 
to represent snow on the leaves. 

The water lines are made of the finest sewing 
silk, in color a very dark gray. 

Shadows of trees in the water are represented in 
the same way, only in shorter stitches. 

Where two colors are represented in a picture, 
for instance, a landscape with a bright golden sun- 



12 



set, satin of a bright golden tint should be joined to 
a bronze green of the same texture if possible. 

The clouds may be scarlet shading into an 
orange, and finishing up in the lightest lemon tint. 

As to^the colors for foliage in a picture like this, 
the study of nature is the best guide. In fact, na- 
ture may be said to be the best teacher to the stu- 
dent in art in regard to both color and form. 

In this collection of pictures, where castles, forts, 
or human habitations have been represented, no 
pencil has been used. The size and shape being 
determined with needle and silk, in the same way 
that a builder uses his line and plummet when 
measuring for a wall or partition. Some may not 
approve of this method, and, if accustomed to work 
from a stamped pattern, they may perhaps find it 
easier to have the pattern drawn on the material. 

In preparing this book the author has not deemed 
it necessary to describe the diiferent stitches men- 
tioned as necessary to perfect a needle painting. 

At the Decorative Art Schools, blossoming out in 
nearly every town and village in the country, every 
stitch used in antique and modern embroidery, is 
taught by usually competent instructors, so that a 
knowledge of the variety of stitches mentioned is 



13 



attainable, if not already acquired. 

In regard to the cost of material for " Needle 
Paintings/' a few words may be said. 

Heavy furniture satins, whether of worsted or silk 
surface, may be had from $2.00 to |3.oo per yard. 
The width of this material is usually 55 inches. 

Shaded satins and Surah silks, 18 inches wide, of 
good quality, are from $2.00 to $2.25 per yard, but 
these are not readily found, being almost entirely 
out of market. 

The satins in solid colors suitable for the ground- 
work of pictures vary from $1.50 to $2.50 per yard. 

Filoselle of a quality suitable for needle painting 
is 5c. a skein, or 50c. per dozen, Dacca silk, 8 cts. 
a bobbin, chenille, 4 cts. a skein. 

If students of art in country places desire, they 
can send to the following address an order for any 
of the above articles enclosing the amount required, 
either in registered letter or Post Oflice order. 



L, D. Shear:, 

Sherwood Studio, 

58 West 57th St., 

New York City, 



CATALOGUE. 



I. 


Dogs Head— Setter. 


2. 


''Sweet Home." 


3- 


Sunset in the Catskills. 


4. 


''Mill on the Floss." 


5. 


Glen in the Berkshile Hills. 


6. 


Winter scene on Lake Champlain, 


7. 


Castle of Chillon. 


8. 


Lake George. 


9. 


Bartholdi Statue. 


lO. 


View of Sea Cliff, L. L 


II. 


Light House, on the Coast of 




Egypt. 


12. 


Rocky Mt. Point. 


13- 


Lake in the Highlands. 


14. 


New York Harbor. 


15- 


Windmill by Moonlight. 


1 6. 


Rock of Gibraltar. 


17. 


Winter Sunset. 


18. 


The Fort. 


19. 


Henneberg Casde. 


20. 


Niagara, Rock of Ages. 



Alexandria. 



15 



21. Moonlight Scene. 

2 2. Last work of Queen Marie Antoinette. 

2^. Jacqueminot Roses. 



SCREENS. 

New England Sunset. 
Scene in Nevada. 
'* Sunset Lake," Asbury Park. 
Sunset on the Prairie. 
A point in the Rocky Mountains. 
Skating Secne. 

"Snow Bound/' from Whittier. 
An Autumn Scene. 
Sunset on Goat Island, Niagara. 
Panel, ''original design, interior view," 8ft, 
high, 4ft. wide. 



24. Hook Mountain, Nyack on Hudson. 

25. Scene on the Housatonic. 

26. Falls of Minnehaha. 



